


Purge Night

by MischiefHowl



Category: Gotham (TV), The Purge (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Jerome Never Died and Jeremiah and him are close twins, Minor Character Death, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-13 19:13:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17493644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MischiefHowl/pseuds/MischiefHowl
Summary: Bruce is out to find his parents' killer on Purge Night, and he runs into certain twins that are happily ready to help.





	Purge Night

**Author's Note:**

> Well, thanks to Tumblr wanting a Purge/Gotham au, here it be. To bad I don't think it's as good as I first imagined. I tried though and hope it's alright.

The Purge. 

The only time for the twins to be their true selves. 

To most people they consider it a cleansing. 

To _them_ it was just fun. 

And yet no one ever really realized that one of them can Purge much worse than the other.

The Valeska Twins of Gotham City, they looked identical, but that is where similarities ended. Their personality, their clothing, almost everything else was different. One was outgoing and a tad crazy, the other was introverted and stuck to his work.

Of course everything changes. They turn into their more beast-like selves. Tonight was the night and the two were already running late.  
"Come on brother, you look like a ghost already!"

Jeremiah or Xander Wilde to everyone else, was applying his usual makeup and resisting all urge to not blow a hole in his twin's brain for a minute's peace.. Every. Single. Year. "That's the plan." His usual stuttering and timid tone had become monotone, emotionless like he was dead within. His face wearing white make up, once green eyes becoming an eerie yellow color, lips blood red.. like some vampire or ghost as Jerome put it.

Jerome on the other hand.. his was simple, nothing. He had the same plan like always for what he wanted.

"So do we separate a block or so this year or do we stick together?" Jerome asked, messing around with his gun that has little HA HA's and smiles carved into it. He was armed to the teeth.  
Jeremiah shrugs. "I want to hunt alone. Let us have a few blocks head start and spread out.. say twenty minutes and if we find nothing to amuse us then we meet back up.. say.. here" He pointed his own, less creative magnum at a block. "I feel something will happen tonight.. something that will provide us with entertainment."

"Ever the Future Seeing, like dear o' pop" 

And the sirens went off as they walked out into the night, ready to be the cause of their _prey's_ screams.

\---

Bruce had been readying himself all day, from his guns to his nerves. Alfred had assumed that he'd gone to bed early to avoid the night like usual. But he was planning to Purge. Jim Gordon had provided him with who killed his parents and he had every intention to avenge them..

But as the sirens went off, his boldness seemed to falter. He was out in the streets on Purge Night with guns with only so many bullets. Dark eyes looked ahead, to quiet for a city..  
Well until the screams came and he had to resist everything in him to rush to their aid. No, this was the night all crime was legal.. so he walked forward.. ever cautious and ready to kill if needed.. his morals did not matter out here, his morals would get him killed.

So he walked, sticking to the shadows.

And of course it was only a matter of time before he saw a Purger.. and fear touched him.

Seeing the woman's gurgling made him almost vomit. She had been sliced up and the one that did it was still happily slicing her body up, eyes examining her reaction more like a doctor examining a patient.. she was choking on her blood and grasping at his white coat that had black stripes. 

He had a growing smile. "Lovely, you've lasted five minutes. Can you last another minute?" He cut into her body again, Bruce saw the razor sink into flesh so gently.

Watching with growing illness and some.. scarily hint of curiosity, he failed to head foot steps creeping up behind him. Until he was grabbed so roughly he swore the attacker broke his arm and he was on the ground with someone pinning him and with a laugh that chilled his very soul. "Brother! You have a fan!" The other he couldn't see as he kept chuckling, still he feared more.. brother. And worse is the pale faced man looked at Bruce and Bruce nearly expected to die from just the shock alone.

"X-Xander?"

 

\---

Jeremiah was stunned. He forgot the woman that still was trying to take in air but only got more of her own blood in her lungs. He steps off her, uncaring of the crack that was heard or her cry and her stillness that began to follow. He was focused on the boy that Jerome had pinned, knife ready to plunge into the boy's spine. With a shake of his head, Jerome for once listened though pouted and let the bloody knife just stay idle, dripping onto the dark coat... 

It seems Jerome made a kill given that newly bloody smile on his lips and cheeks. He was focused more on the other that was caught.. and he frowns. "Hello Bruce."

"Bruce?" Jerome looked almost confused, followed by realization, followed by another laugh. "Your rich boy crush?! This is priceless!"

If it weren't for the makeup and darkness that shadowed his face, he was sure the heat in his cheeks would have shown a red blush and he frowns more. "Let him go, Jerome."  
"Whatever you say, dearest 'Xandy'" And he let the pathetic excuse for a struggling boy go.

"Y-You're purging?!" Bruce was shocked, it was obvious. Jeremiah looked at the now dead woman and guessed Bruce saw enough to know that Jeremiah wasn't out here as revenge or something foolish as that. 

"Yes." He replied, his monotone voice becoming his more emotional one for Bruce's sake. Though he probably didn't match the timid engineer Bruce knew so well. With such confidence and everything that 'Xander' was not. "We purge for the joy.. to release the beast as the NFFA so call it.. Jerome stop pondering on killing him." Bruce turned as Jerome eyed him more like food than a person, it creeped him out.

Jeremiah continued. "And I doubt you're out here because you accidentally locked yourself out of the house."

"......" Bruce was quiet, pondering and actually more shocked at the sight.. the one that was pinning him down looked identical to Xander, aside from no glassing-- Xander wore no glasses now so he assumed those contacts helped him see.. But Xander was killing people, that woman looked innocent and he didn't want to know what the other.. Jerome did. He had a choice to lie, yet he knew Xander would know if he was lying, so with a deep breath. "I am here to avenge my parents."

Now things just got interesting.

 

\---

Jeremiah wanted to reach out to Bruce there. He to had searched for the murderer of the Waynes. They had been like his parents to. Thomas had given him a chance and helped in his career as Bruce helped fund him to. He had spent a few Purge years trying to find leads.. all dead ended. He guessed he looked as angry as he felt because Jerome even looked a bit afraid so he forced on a calm mask while his chest felt heat of hatred. "If you found them then tell us!"

"Xander, this is my fight. I will not involve you or your brother."

He shook his head, glaring at Bruce. "I did not ask for your opinion, Bruce. I deserve to avenge your parents to! They gave me a home"

Jerome looked at his twin with curiosity. He had known that Jeremiah was taken in by some rich people.. the fact it was Bruce's parents. His twin was not like him no matter how much he said they are. Jeremiah had loving parents, Jerome had a drunk whore that dared called herself a mother. He couldn't feel to jealous because Jeremiah had to suffer in silence of the Wayne's deaths... "Yes, we will help you avenge them"

Bruce wanted to protest but got a smack on the shoulder from Jerome who nearly dragged him along to Jeremiah. "But first we need to purge some more. Miah, I saw a doughnut shop up the road~"

"Miah?"

"Nickname. Let's eat first and I'll explain it."

Of course, by doughnut shop.. they meant a guarded shop where the twins had no problem blowing the keeper's arms off and left him to bleed out and scream in the gutter much to Bruce's horror at how they easily would do such thing and sit inside the shop and happily helped themselves to doughnuts and coffee. "Come and sit, Brucie~" Jerome insisted, Bruce sat but the sight of the food made him want to throw up what was left in his stomach.

"You have to eat. We have six hours to go before the night's done and you'll need your strength." Jeremiah pointed out as he enjoyed the meal like it was his last along with Jerome. Bruce lowered his gaze.

"Stop eating like it's your last meal.."

"Bruce." Jeremiah started. "I don't want to burst your fantasy bubble but this could be our last meal. Our deaths could be around every corner, every alleyway... death is everywhere tonight. If you don't think it is, ask the whore that tried to stab a syringe in me or the shopkeeper outside if he's still breathing."

Bruce didn't want to hear it, this wasn't Xander, something was wrong with him, with his brother, with this night. It was madness and it must be stopped-- he stopped his thoughts when he realized why he was out here.. hypocrite and yet he somehow felt like he was different from these mad twins.. he was so stupid. "Why did he call you Miah?" It was weird sitting between them.

"Because Miah's Miah! My baby brother. Born.. what how many minutes after me? The smart, good twin~"

"Jeremiah Valeska is the name my mother gave me. When I was taken in by my uncle, he felt it better to give me a new name and new life. Some luck that did" He chuckled as if he made some hidden joke. "Xander Wilde is the name the public know me as, you may call me Jeremiah if you want to."

Bruce thought it all over and slowly he found himself eating the doughnut and drinking the cooling black coffee.

 

\---

The Valeska Twins were monstrous but also protective. They butchered all in their way and tortured some people to death, sometimes for Bruce to get directions.. they always talked before their tongues were removed.

Finding the killer Matches was easy.. doing the deed was harder. Jeremiah helped Matches know that he had company by kicking the door in, taking a bullet and putting a bullet into Matches' leg and subduing him before giving Bruce the okay to enter. Jerome sat outside, whining for a few seconds before silencing himself.

Jeremiah's leg was shot but he felt little pain due to the painkillers he took as always on the hour. Still he limped some much to his annoyance and leaned against the counter while Bruce spoke, much to his displeasure, black hair strand falling into his eyes.

"You killed my parents.."

"I kill a lot of people.." Matches was tired sounding and it wasn't because of the blood loss from his shoulder or that the bonds were tight on his wrists. He was just tired..  
"The pearl necklace you broke"

"Ah.. I remember them, looked like good people."

"You killed them.. you killed them! Why did you kill them!?"

"I was asked to? Paid to kill them."

"By who?!" Bruce was growing desperate, hating the fact that this man didn't kill them of his own free will. 

"I will never tell you.. because I can't remember. Like I said, I kill a lot of people and am paid by many.. and you can torture me or send your attack dog over there to but I will not ever tell.. Who knows, maybe with my last breath I will remember and tell."

Bruce cocked the gun and aimed, palm shaking as he glared at the unflinching man... slowly he lowered his gun and his head. "You want to die. I will not grant you that, you will be brought to justice and pay."

Bruce turned and Jeremiah was now in anger. "You are walking away, Bruce?! This man killed your parents! He knows EXACTLY who killed them! I will make him talk.. let me do it!"  
"No Miah.. when the hour's up I will call and he will be judged." Bruce walked out and saw Jerome who was laying down, tongue out, playing dead. It made him smile some. "Bored to death huh?"

A scream broke the chuckling and horror went through Bruce as he looked in just to see Jeremiah plunging the straight razor into Matches, screaming at him, demanding the name as he stabbed again and again, causing agonized screamed that reminded Bruce of a squealing pig. "Jeremiah!" He called but it went on deaf ears. 

"I. Will. Not. Have. Another. Dead. Fucking. End! Speak Damn You, You Fucking Filth!" Jeremiah screamed with each stab, and when Bruce tried to grab him and pull him off the bloody mess that once was a human being, Jeremiah threw him off and barely faltered. Jerome quickly held Bruce and kept the boy pinned as the young Wayne screamed for Jeremiah over and over to stop, even when he knew that as soon as Jeremiah made the first stab that the man was already dead.

Jeremiah let the mutilated corpse fall, tears mixing with blood and make up falling down his cheeks, sobbing and trying to catch his breath. He walked passed Jerome and Bruce, white coat and entire front covered in blood as he walked down the hall, shooting someone in head that so much as yelled at him.. leaving the two alone.  
Jerome was quiet for a long time before letting Bruce go. 

"Wh-why did he do that? Why?"

"He wanted to do something you were to cowardly to do"

"I didn't-- I was going to give him just--"

"Shut Up About That Shit!" Jerome snapped. "That bastard would have either walked or put in prison. So what? He was just the attack mutt that killed your parents, who cares? The one that hired the mutt is still out there.."

Bruce looked down the hall, frowning. Jerome was right.. the one that killed his parents was dead.. and somehow he felt better because of it, because he was dead, but also he felt bad because he didn't avenge them, and the one that hired Matches is still out there.. morals.. were they not enough?

 

\---

Jeremiah did not come to work after the Purge, he only came after a few days. Back to how Bruce knew him as. Red hair, green eyes, glasses.. nothing like he had seen.. red hair.. like blood... he shivered.

Of course, the other was distant and was more irritable with others. The two would not see each other, Jerome disappeared like he was a ghost.. but ghosts couldn't touch you, much less hold you down.. right?

Bruce gave coffee to Jeremiah while he worked on a model for a solar reactor. "Thanks, Mr. Wayne." He finally said with a small smile as he sipped the coffee. "Always how I like it."  
"I want to apologize for how I reacted. You wanted revenge as well as I did.. and I tried to stop you"

"I lost my head in my hatred.. so long I tried to find out who killed them, probably as long as you.. and the grief and hate overcame me. We hit a dead end.. but I would happily do it again and again if I could... it's how I am on Purge Night. I am a monster and I revel in it where I can release it. You aren't like us.." He looks at the people through the windows. "They purged or hid away and purged... you aren't like us. You have morals, and those morals, while they are good now, will get you killed on that night. Do not ever go out again."

"...."

"Do not. Or you may find someone else that isn't as merciful as me."

Bruce shook his head. "You aren't like them.. because you didn't kill me."

"You're my friend, also you're my boss. Now if you treated me like crap than I'd have shot you for sure.. bang.." He formed finger guns and caused a laugh.

"Say, where does Jerome go? I never saw him until that night?"

"Jerome?"

"Um, yeah, you know.. your twin brother, laughs a lot, kind of crazy, remember him?"

"Yeah I do, he went back to Haly's Circus. They don't come out here very often so we don't purge together as much as we like. But when we do... well you saw what we do." 

"Will you always do this?"

"Well, yes, until it's outlawed or something, it's the only way we can be ourselves.. without that than we'd probably be murderers and have been put away long ago"

Jeremiah got back to working and Bruce watches him, taking in his features like fresh air. "We will find my parents murderer.. but I want it done by the book."

"Only if you catch them and drag them to jail first." Jeremiah replied without so much as looking up. He would make them beg for death if he finds them first, Purge or no Purge and that was a promise.


End file.
